Lonestar, Patty Loveless Have New Albums

Although Lonestar is getting the most attention right now for the hit ballad “I’m Already There” from their new album of the same name, the CD also boasts a number of up-tempo songs such as “Out Go the Lights,” Mark McGuinn’s “Unusually Unusual” and “Let’s Bring It Back,” written by
Annie Roboff and Jeffrey Steele.

Loveless’ new acoustic album, Mountain Soul, marks a return to the music of her youth for the Kentucky-bred singer. The album spans gospel, bluegrass, mountain music and traditional country songs. Travis Tritt and Ricky Skaggs are among artists making guest appearances.

This Is BR549 is the eclectic group’s fifth album and its first on Sony Music Nashville’s Lucky Dog imprint. The first single is Chuck Mead’s “Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal.” The group also draw upon veteran Nashville songwriters Harlan Howard and Kostas for “Let’s See How Far You Get” and on British rocker Nick Lowe for “Play That Fast Thing (One More Time).”

Teenaged singer McCann releases her third album, Complete, on Warner Bros. Records. “Come a Little Closer” is the first single released to country radio.

Jolie & the Wanted is the debut album on DreamWorks Nashville by Jolie Edwards and her five-piece band. Edwards is a former rock ‘n’ roll singer from Omaha, Neb., who put together a band in Nashville including two former members of the EvinRudes.

Radney Foster releases his fourth solo album since leaving Foster & Lloyd. Are You Ready for the Big Show?, on the DualTone label, is a live album, with two studio tracks added as a bonus. Foster recorded the album on Sept. 21 and 22, 2000, at Austin’s Continental Club, with a band including Nickel Creek mandolinist Chris Thile and Steve Earle sideman Mike McAdam on slide guitar. The album includes Foster’s studio duet with Pat Green on “Texas in 1880,” recorded first by Foster & Lloyd, which is charting in Billboard.

Guitarist Richard Bennett has a new album with Dobro player Mike Auldridge and mandolinist Jimmy Gaudreau. Blue Lonesome Wind, on Rebel Records, includes 14 songs of traditional music, as well as traditional approaches to Bobby Goldsboro’s “Come Back Home” and Rodney Crowell‘s “Home Sweet Home Revisited.”

Mandolin wizard David Grisman teams with pianist Denny Zeitlin for an album of piano-mandolin duets. New River, on Grisman’s Acoustic Disc label, includes such numbers as “Dawg Funk” and “Brazilian Street Dance.”

Steel guitar player Joe Goldmark calls his new HighTone release Strong Like Bull … but Sensitive Like Squirrel!, and the title gives you an idea of his playful approach to music. Goldmark, his steel guitar and sidemen tackle a variety of songs ranging from Eric Clapton’s “Presence of the Lord” to Charlie Rich‘s “Lonely Weekends” to Nick Lowe’s “Peace, Love and Understanding” to Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine.”

The late Hank Williams is the only country artist on the British blues label Catfish Records. The compilation album, Blues Come Around, includes 21 of Williams’ bluesier numbers, including the title song and “Moanin’ the Blues.”

Oh Boy Records has a compilation of Conway Twitty songs. Oh Boy Classics Presents Conway Twitty includes 14 of the late singer’s hits, including “Hello Darlin’” and “On Our Last Date.” Some are original tracks, some are re-recordings of Twitty’s tunes from the master archives of music publisher Sony/Tree.